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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26852560">Weeping Willow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychotraumatic/pseuds/psychotraumatic'>psychotraumatic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEVENTEEN (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Boonon, Flash Fic, Kid!svt, M/M, Short One Shot, a tinge of horror, verkwan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:53:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26852560</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychotraumatic/pseuds/psychotraumatic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Seungkwan reminisces about a childhood spent under a willow tree, wishing he had more time to spend with his best friend.</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Written for <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/snap_shots17">Snapshots</a> Challenge 3: Supernatural.</em></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Boo Seungkwan &amp; Chwe Hansol | Vernon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Challenge 3: Supernatural</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Weeping Willow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seungkwan watches as the world passes by the car window, thinking how the quaint little town he once called home had changed over the years. There were more houses, new storefronts, better roads. It was completely different from what he remembered. Then again, he's been gone for fifteen years. Things were definitely bound to change.</p><p>He's not even sure why he's back here. It's not like anything or anyone's waiting for him. He only has his grandparents' old home, empty for the last five years or so. Someone had finally bought the house, and he was there to physically sign papers that would completely cut his ties from this old town.</p><p>Needless to say, Seungkwan doesn't have the best memories living here. He was one of the few kids in town, and most of the others were older, prone to kicking him around and calling him names just because he was smaller.</p><p>They led him astray once, his naïve five-year old mind thinking they were riding off on an adventure. But then they left on their bikes, his short legs unable to keep up, and he was alone. He knew he was in the far side of town, only a single house on the horizon, and he wasn't even sure if the owners were home.</p><p>He trudged forward with hope, keeping his watery eyes on the huge willow tree as a marker lest he get lost even more.</p><p>The car coming to a halt pulls Seungkwan out of his reverie, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs in his mind. He looks back out the window and sees the looming structure that was once their family home. He pays the fare, asks the driver to keep the change, and steps out to take everything in.</p><p>As the cab drives away, Seungkwan thinks back to that old willow tree, wondering if it's still standing.</p><p>There's no question that he doesn't like this town, his only fond memories involve the time spent under that willow. And as Seungkwan reminisces about his childhood, he begins to wish he had more time with his best friend.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Seungkwan tosses and turns in bed. Despite living in this house for seven years of his life, it's not home, and his discomfort makes him restless. He tries to think of happy things, and all that comes to mind is Hansol.</p><p>
  <em> Seungkwan was a mess of tears and snot by the time he reached the house with the big willow tree. There wasn't a car out front and his little brain knew no one was home, or so he thought. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Why are you crying?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He spins around to see a little boy pop out from behind the willow, light brown hair slightly tousling in the wind. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "The big kids left me," Seungkwan hiccups. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "That's so mean!" the boy says, small hands coming up to his cheeks in shock. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It was a little comical, and Seungkwan couldn't help but giggle. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Want to play with me? I got toy trucks!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Okay," Seungkwan beamed. "My name's Seungkwan. What's yours?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Hansol! Let's be best friends!" </em>
</p><p>He learns a lot over the course of a few months. That Hansol doesn't go to school because he's quite sickly, that his parents let him play outside, that he used to have a dog and has been begging for a new puppy, that the older kids from town don't like him either.</p><p>They bonded over toy trucks and mud pies, running circles and playing tag, taking naps and playing pretend under the willow. Seungkwan doesn't remember how he got home that first day, or all the days after. All he cared about was finally having a friend.</p><p>But then Hansol's family moved at the end of summer, stealing away one day, and Seungkwan never heard of him again.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The next day sees Seungkwan walking around the small town, checking out places new and old. A few people stop to say hello, ask him how he's been despite not having seen him for so long. It was the type of town where everyone knew who comes and goes after all.</p><p>The lady who owns a diner, his favorite for their amazing pies, invites him for lunch. He remembers that she was a good friend of his parents so he agrees.</p><p>They chat comfortably. The lady asks what he's been up to, how his parents are, if there's a special person in his life. She tells him about what's happened since he left, the new developments in town, how most of the kids around his age have all gone to different cities for school and work, coming back when they can.</p><p>The last topic piques his interest, his thoughts going back to Hansol.</p><p>"Has Hansol or any of his family been back at all?"</p><p>Confusion mars the lady's face, not sure who Seungkwan was talking about.</p><p>"The family that lived at the edge of town. The house with the huge willow tree."</p><p>Her face blanches at the clarification. "How do you know about Hansol?"</p><p>"I played with him when I was a kid," Seungkwan shrugs. "At least until they moved without notice."</p><p>"Seungkwan," her voice shakes, "Hansol died of cancer three years before you were even born."</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Seungkwan's heart beats at a fast pace, breathing ragged as he runs toward the huge willow.</p><p>He doubles over, hands braced against his knees as he catches his breath, trying his best to comprehend what the lady said. What are the odds that the family had two Hansols, giving their second child the same name after the loss of the first? What if the lady heard wrong that Hansol died?</p><p>A breeze passes that sends a chill against Seungkwan's skin, and the atmosphere changes.</p><p>Carefully, he straightens back up, eyes widening and jaw dropping at the impossible.</p><p>At the foot of the willow stands Hansol, looking like he's never aged past five, playing with his toy truck as he beams at Seungkwan.</p><p>"You came back!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not @ me writing for a pair that's always intimidated me, but here we are... what is Snapshots doing to me???</p></blockquote></div></div>
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